Hair clamp



R. LJEVANS 4 2,200,266

HAIR CLAMP Filed Dec. 3, 1937 Patented May 14, 1940 HAIR Ralph L. Evans,

CLAIVIP Bay Shore, N. Y.

Application December 3, 1937, Serial No. 177,851

12 Claims.

My invention relates broadly to improvements in the operation of certainmechanical devices, notably "toggles, cams and the like, and more particularly to the use of such devices as means to obtain and assure firm closure under pressure of hair clamps, especially those used in the process of permanently waving hair.

The use of toggles, cams and similar devices for the purpose of multiplying mechanical advantage in securing closure pressure is not new. Common practice, as in the croquignole method of waving, includes the use of a clamp having'two parallel jaws hinged to each other at one end, theflrst of said jaws having pivoted to its free end one of a link, said link carrying a cam pivoted thereto at its other or free end. In closing the clamp, the jaws are manually moved into en'- gagement with the tress of hair to be clamped, usually by grasping andsqueezing them with one hand; the link is then manually moved about its pivot by the other hand to bringits cam over the projecting free end of the second jaw and thereafter rotation of a lever extension of 'the cam causes the cam to force the jaws toward each other, causing the clamp to lock the tress with very firm pressure.

A disadvantage of present designs resides in the fact that the engagement and/or disengagement of cam and clamp jaw are often diificult, due to inadequate finger room, stiif action of the link hinges or otherwise. The adjustment or removal of the clamp may then become awkward or difficult, and when the cam lever and link are manually pulled to open position or manually pushed to closed position the hand holding the clampor that operating the cam and link may slip, causing the patron to experiencepainful pulling of her hair.

My invention comprehends a device to promote the engagement and disengagement of the cam with the free end of the clamp jaw to facilitate smooth placement of the clamp upon or its removal from the hair of the patron without danger of pulling the hair. More specifically, my invention contemplates a clamping device in which all the actions and reactionsin operating the link and cam, in looking the clamp closed and/or in breaking the lock, inherently take place between the clamp parts themselves and none between the tress of hair and the clamp, thereby avoiding any pull on the hair.

In the practice of my invention, I conveniently give the cam member a contour which coacts with the free endof the clamp jaw to cause longi- PATENT OFFICE tudinal translational motion of the cam with respect to the free end of the clamp jaw, the free end of the clamp jaw being of such shape as to properly coact with said cam member contour to effect this result. While the contour'given the cam member may take various forms, the cam member may advantageously be provided with shoulders having faces preferably approximately radial to the cam axis.

To effect a locking of my clamp it is only necessary to move the free end of the clamp jaw and the link and cam together until one portion of the contour, or one radial face, of the cam overlaps the outer corner of the clamp jaw; Rotation of thecam lever then causes in sequence both translational motion of the cam axis into locking position and closing pressure on the clamp jaw due to cam action, thus locking the clamp.

I may further obviate the necessity of initially moving the link into position where its cam can pick up the free end of the clamp jaw preliminary to locking it, as for instance, by providing a stop on the link to prevent. its opening beyond the point where the cam when actuated can pick up the end of the clamp jaw. This avoids any pull on the tress during the locking operation.

To effect unlocking of my clamp, the rotation of the cam lever is reversed which first relaxes cam pressure. Further reverse rotation causes a portion of the cam contour, or the other radial face of the cam if employed, to butt against the outer end of the clamp jaw stopping simple rotation of the cam in its seat except with accompanying longitudinal translational motion of the entire cam and link in a direction to completely disengage the cam andlink from the clamp jaw. Disengagementis positive and unavoidable if the cam lever is completely rotated, thus effecting a release of the clampwithout possibility of pulling on the tress.

Among the. important advantages of my invention are: I

(1) The force applied to the cam lever arm is (a) When the jaws of the clamp are brought together the partsof the locking mechanism are always in position to be operated by the cam lever and do not require independent positioning.

Other novel features and advantages of my invention will hereinafter appear.

Without limiting my invention or claims thereto, the accompanying .drawing shows for purposes of exemplification a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing a clamp embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail, in perspective, showing in full lines the locking mechanism in initialv position preliminary to operation of the cam lever, and in dotted lines the initial actuation of the cam lever.

Fig. 3' is a perspective view showing the locking parts in intermediate position.

Fig. 4 is a perspective showing the locking parts in full locked position.

Fig. 5 is a perspective showing the cam locking lever moved to an intermediate unlocking posie tion, and

Fig. 6 shows a detail of the cam and its operating lever.

1 Figs. '2 and 8 show modifications of ture.

Referring to the drawing, the clamp jaws. I, 2, are shown hinged at 3 to the end clamp bracket 4. Pivoted at 5 to the front extension or arm 6 of the jaw I is a link carrying theusual bracket 8 while pivoted at 9 to the upper end of the link I is the cam l9. provided with an operating lever H. The cam is shown in Fig. Gas

my, struchaving its main cam portion l8 cut away to provide a shoulder or pick-up portion having a face l2, the cam or lever also being cut away to provide a second shoulder, or kick-off portion, having a face l3, said faces l2 and I3 being shown as substantially radial to the axis of the cam, although their angular positions may .vary widely within the spirit of my invention.

The clamp jaw 2 is provided with an extension or arm i5 having a face 16, advantageously incut, and an end face I! adapted to cooperate'with the shoulder faces [2 and I3, respectively, of the cam in effecting the locking and unlocking of the clamp. There may also be provided on the link I, if desired, a stop such as the extension I8 bent at its end to engage the extension 6, or a fixed part of jaw I, to limit the movement of the link for the purpose hereinafter indicated. 1

In the operation of the devicethe parts are initially in the position shown in Fig. 1 in which the clamp jaws occupy divergent positions. A tress of hair is placed between them and the jaw 2 is manually moved with reference to the jaw 1 through an are 20 (Fig. 2) until it engages the tress of hair. In this position the end extension N3 of jaw ,2 will be in position to have its face I6 engaged by the shoulder face I2 of. the cam when the latter is rotated in an anti-clockwise direction, this initial engagement ,being shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and in full lines in Fig. 3. Upon further movement of the cam anti-clockwise, its face [2 will engage on the face l6 of the jaw extension i5 and imparta longitudinal translational movement to the cam pivot 9 to move the cam over said extension l5 and upon further movement of the cam lever in'the same direction the cam surface I0 will bear on said face or cam seat It to force the clamp jaws together with firm pressure, as shown in Fig. 4. 1

When it is desired to release the clamp, the cam lever is turned in clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 5, when the face [3 of the second shoulder will engage the end ll of the clamp extension l5 and further rotation of the cam lever will force the link I away from the extension l5 carrying with it the cam l0 whose face l2in final open position will be removed from the path of the extension l5, as shown in Fig. 2, permitting the clamp jaw 2 to be opened. The link I will be maintained in the position shown in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 2 by engagement of the stop [8 with the jaw extension 6. It will thus be in position to again effect a locking of thejaws together merely upon manipulation of the camleyler alone.

The stop is and its function may be omitted, if

desired, without modificationof theoperation of the other features of my invention. 1

It will thus be seen that both the operation of locking the clamp jaws together and the operation of unlocking them requires merely the manipulation of the cam lever I I and it becomes unnecessary for the operator to manually move the link I either to closed or to open position which might result in-a pull-on the'hair. Siich pullon the hairis impossible in-my device, s ince the actions and reactions incident to its'operation are all between the parts of the clamp and not between the clamp and the operatorfortress'of hair on the head.

Fig. '7 shows'a modification in which thercam surface is continuous, its portion 22 serving as a pick-up portion and its portion 23 kick-off portion.

Fig. 8 shows a further modification in -which the cam surface is provided Withaprojection '32 serving as. a

serving as the kick-off portion, the extension being advantageously provided with arecess 34 serving as a pick-up portion, and its portion -?33 cooperating with said projection. It .is obvious that the recess could be provided in thelcam por tion to engage a projection on the extension-or the upperexposed corner of the extension. 7

It will be understood that'many changes may be made in the forms and features disclosed without departing from the spirit ofmy invention and that certain features may sometimes b'e' used to advantage without a corresponding fuse of other features. WhatIclaim is: I

1. In a hair clamp, in combination, twoclamp members hinged together at one end; 'a link-pivoted to the opposite free end of one of said clamp members, cam mechanism carried by the rise end of said link, said cam mechanism m'vm ja pick-up portion adapted upon actuation of said cammechanisrn in one direction to engage-the free end of the other clamp member andhaving.

a cam portion adapted upon further movement-of said cam mechanism in thesame{direction' to force said clamp members"together,and-having a kick-off portion adapted, af-ter'said 'carri' rnech anism is actuated in reverse direction" freeing said cam portion, to engage the'free end of said last mentioned clamp member and upon further movement in said reverse direction to'forbe said cam mechanism out offthe pathofsaid clamp member to permit the clamp-to beope'ned, and means to limit the movement 'o 'fsaidlink to a position in which, after the clamp-member's have again been moved into juxtaposition, said pick-up portion, when actuated,{"w'ill again engage and pick up said free end of said last further movement in said reverse direction tov force the free end of said link carrying said cam mechanism out of the path of said clamp mem-' ber to permit the clamp to be opened.

3. In a hair waving clamp, in combination, two

clamp members, cam mechanism having a cam,

portion adapted when actuated to force said clamp members together and a kick-off portion adapted, after said cam mechanism is actuated in reverse direction freeing said cam portion, to

engage the free end of one of said clamp mem-' bers and upon further movement in said reverse direction, to force said cam mechanism out of the path of said clamp member to permit the clamp to be opened.

4. In a clamp, in combination, two clamp members, cam mechanism for closing the same under pressure, said cam mechanism having a kick-off portion adapted, upon reverse movement of said cam mechanism, to engage the free end of one of said clamp members to force said cam mechanism out of the path of said clamp member to permit the clamp to be opened.

5. In a clamp, in combination, two clamp members, cam mechanism having a pick-up portion adapted upon actuation of said cam mechanism in one direction to engage the free end of one of said clamp members, and means to limit the reverse movement of said pick-up portion to a position in which, after the clamp members have been moved into juxtaposition, said'pick-up portion, when actuated, will automatically engage and pick up said free end of said clamp member.

6. In a clamp having a clamping member provided with a projecting arm, a hinged link having lever fastening means adapted to engage said projecting arm to lock the clamp shut, said means being provided with means for increasing mechanical advantage to disengage said link' and arm when opening the clamp to move said lever fastening means out of the path of said arm to permit the clamp to be freely opened.

' 7. In a clamp having a clamping member provided with a projecting arm, a hinged link carrying a lever-operated cam adapted to engage said projecting arm to lock the clamp shut, said lever operated cam being provided with means for increasing mechanical advantage to disengage said arm and link when opening the clamp to move said cam out of the pathof said arm to permit the clamp to be freely opened.

8. In combination, a clamp member provided with a projecting arm, a lever and cam for engaging and locking said arm, a projecting shoulder on said lever and cam positioned to engage the end of the projecting arm and import relative motion longitudinally thereof to the cam when the lever is moved in the direction to unlock said clamp'member to move said lever and cam out of the path of said arm, to permit the clamp to be freely opened.

9. In a hair clamp, a movable clamping member and a combination lever and locking cam having a shoulder which, on unlocking the cam by rotating the lever, engages aportion of the,

clamping member to cause the lever'and cam to move out of the path of said member to permit the latter to be freely opened.

10. In a hair clamp, a movable clamping member, cam locking mechanism therefor including a cam provided with a face, substantially plane and substantially parallel to the axis of the cam, adapted during the unlocking operation, to engage said movable clamping member to impart translational motion to said cam to move it out of the path of said member. v

11. In a hair clamp, a movable clamping member, cam locking mechanism therefor. including a cam provided with means adapted during the unlocking operation, to imparttranslational motion to said cam to move it out of the path of said member.

12. In a hair clamp, in combination, a movable clamp member incapable of longitudinal movement, cam mechanismhaving a cam portion which when actuated in. one direction forces said clamp member closed and which when actu-'- ated in the reverse direction releases said clamp member, said cam mechanism being provided with means whereby, upon further actuation in said reverse direction, disengagement between said clamp member and said cam 'mechanism is effected to permit said clamp to be fully opened.

RALPH L. EVANS. 

